Ricespouts: have you ever seen?

[Andrea Griffa]

Hi guys
I just wanted to share with you a new kind of hybrid between a landspout and a waterspout that tends to occur in the italian Pianura Padana (the north- italian plains). I and my friend Dean Gill recently discussed about it and we called "ricespout" because during these months we have the western portion of this Plain flooded with water in order to cultivate rice.
Sometimes near the city of Vercelli it happens that some nice landspouts touch down on a flooded ground like this and it takes the appearance of a typical waterspout with the typical shape and consistency.

Here's the latest ricespout on may 6:

http://www.cacciatoriditornado.it/T.../Voci/2012/5/7_Tornado_vicino_a_Vercelli.html

 

[Stuart Wilson]

Interesting Andrea. Glad you found some time with no fog in this area!

 

[Andrea Griffa]

Thanks Stuart! Do you know the zone? Actually during Spring and Summer fog is less frequent.

Interesting Andrea. Glad you found some time with no fog in this area!

 

[Stuart Wilson]

I drove from Parma to Asti in December last year and it was very foggy. My guides explained about the Da Vinci designed ricefields as the reason for the bad fog.

I loved Parma and wished I wasn't visiting suppliers and working!